Hobrazian Socialist Party congress, 3812
2 | popular_vote1 = | percentage1 = 54.5 % | swing1 = | image2 = | leader2 = Saba Natta | leader_since2 = | party2 = | leaders_seat2 = | last_election2 = | seats2 = 8 | seat_change2 = 2 | popular_vote2 = | percentage2 = 45.5 % | swing2 = | map_image = | map_size = | map_caption = | title = Chair | posttitle = Elected Chair | before_election = Joey Natta | before_party = | after_election = Thea Nozadze | after_party = | color1 = 008AB8 | color2 = FF6666}} A party congress was held from 10 to 11 November 3812 to elect a new chair of the Hobrazian Socialist Party. The need for a new leader appeared following the resignation of party founder Joey Natta, after his ascension to the position of President of Hobrazia after he led his party to victory in the 3811 elections. Unexpectedly, this congress ultimately changed the name of the party to Hobrazian Democratic Socialists, and adopted a new manifesto and profile overall. Furthermore, 42 district and 70 list candidates were nominated for the next general election, to be held in 3813. Process The party presidency determined that the congress would last for just two days, instead of the previously planned three. 10 November The party leadership was up for election on 10 November, including the party chair and the other 19 members of the presidency. In total, 217 leading party members showed up and registered for voting during the congress. Of these, 198 voted in the leadership election. There were two candidates running, Thea Nozadze of the social-liberal HSP Moderates faction, and Saba Natta – son of former leader Joey Natta – of his father's democratic socialist HSP Radicals faction. The leadership election provided a victory for Nozadze, with her faction obtaining a majority in the party presidency for the first time. 11 November Following the victory of Nozadze in the leadership election, the new majority in the presidency voted, 11 to 8, to adopt a new platform, and to change the name of the party to Hobrazian Democratic Socialists to reflect their new profile, and in an attempt to rebrand. Further, the number of members of the party presidency was reduced from 19 to 9, while the party leader title party chairman was replaced by party president for the purpose of consistency. It was also determined that election candidates were to be elected through primary elections in the year of or before general elections, from then on. Ideologically, the party swung towards the right, adopting a more centrist-liberal profile under Nozadze. Lastly, the party adopted a new logo and replaced its pink-red color with blue and white. In addition to the elections to the party presidency the day before, the first ever HSP primary elections for prime minister were held on 11 November. This election was fought between three candidates, including the new party leader Nozadze and old guard Mikheil Eshvili; 202 delegates registered to vote in the primaries. At the time, the HSP was in government, and held the post of the prime minister. Thus, the winner of the primary would effectively take control of the government of Hobrazia once elected by the HSP delegates. Mikheil Eshvili from the left-wing faction of the party was successfully elected, despite a Moderate majority among the voting delegates. He had served as interim premier since 3811. Nozadze's supporters displayed stubbornness, consistently voting for her in every round until the third, when most opted to abstain rather than to vote for either of the two remaining candidates. This stirred major controversy, as she was blamed for splitting the Moderate vote; the HSP Moderates in fact received close to 56% combined in the first round, which would have enabled them to take over the premiership of Hobrazia. Aftermath Overall, the 3812 congress proved to be a major turning point for the HSP, rebranded HDS. A thorough democratization of the party structure saw the rise of two major wings, the centrist Moderates and the hard left Radicals, more or less equal in strength. Category:HDS congresses